men of warre at the Texell, besides 8 or 9 which were not in the fight, of the former number 40 are much battered, as alsoe the 5 come into Goree, whereof the ships of John Everts and Ruyter-were two; there came none at all into Zealand. Those at Texell are ships from 20 to 24 Gunns, and have but few men; the men say, the English Gunns are foo longe for them, and indeed their want of Gunns is very great; they are very hard at worke to gett out a fleet againeto Sea, 8 or 9 ships which were not in the fight lyeing in the Texell, with betweene 40 and 50 of the fleet which was in the last fight, will be ready within 10 dayes at furthest to convoy the Eastland fleet and the 7 East India men which have lyen soe longe (hopeing the English are gone home), and to bringe back about 100 sayle which lye in the Sound and Norway, whereof are 8 East India men, 15 Streights men, and the rest West India and French men. And in this expedition Witt Wittenson is to weare the flagge, which resolution if they continue in, beleeve it, many of the men and captaynes will not fight.

By t he last post came from England the newes of the great Victorye the English should have against the Dutch, which caused much langhter upon the exchange heere. Neither will we be persuaded yet, but that 18 or 19 of the English ships were burnt, and sunck, and will acknowledge but 8 or 9 of theirs lost, though they confess they were forced to runne away, which they impute cheifely to the fall of Tromp, otherwise they had ruined the whole English fleet, but it is certeine that of 116 sayle, there came into Texell but 90 small and great, and 5 into the Maze and Goree, whereof John Everson and de Ruyter were two very much torne. They confesse this to have beene a very hott dispute.

55. BRIEF AAN THURLOE, 22 Aug. 16531).

They prepare here a good and strong Squadron to goe towards the Sound, to endeavour to joyne with the Ships of the Kinge of Denmarke, if they cann obteyne any from him, whereof they doe very much doubt, but if that which is said be true that is, that 70 English ships did shewe themselves upon the Doggerbanke, a Squadron will not suffice to goe thither, much lesse to convoy home the East India ships and other ships come from the Mediteranean Sea and France.

They doe in effect equippe none but the same ships which were in the fight, and the 2 ships of Genoa and the Wapen of Amsterdam, which were not yet at Sea.